BLM seeks public comment on natural gas development proposal south of New Castle

SILT, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on an oil and gas development proposal approximately six miles southwest of New Castle, Colo.

Bill Barrett Corporation’s Jackson Gulch Master Development Plan proposes development of up to 127 new wells from eight proposed new locations, and construction of up to 4.9 miles of new access roads and 4.2 miles of new pipelines.

Full development would encompass approximately 95 acres of short-term disturbance, with approximately 36 acres on federal surface and 59 acres on private surface. The master development plan proposes Garfield County Road 311 as the primary access for the development activities.

The BLM is asking the public for comments, concerns and issues before it begins drafting the environmental assessment of this proposal.

Comments will be most helpful if received byApril 30, 2014. Written comments and questions should be directed to the Colorado River Valley Field Office at 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652. Electronic comments may be submitted toblm_co_si_mail@blm.gov.

Copies of the JGMDP Proposed Action that further detail the proposed oil and gas development are available for review at the BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, Colorado, 81652. Digital copies of the JGMDP proposal and project map are available atwww.blm.gov/co/crvfo.

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.